Call me Martha

My co-worker, Mary, and I both enjoy baking and use our department as a test ground for many of our creations. A couple months ago I found a box on my desk with 4 star cake molds/cutters in them. I asked Mary if they were hers. She said yes and hinted that her birthday was at the end of July. I thought they looked like a fun challenge, but put them away hoping come July I’d remember, and feel up to making them. Somehow through the pregnancy brain I actually did remember! The molds came with a recipe for this delicious sounding vanilla pound cake. I just wasn’t feeling that ambitious and went for Betty Crocker's boxed vanilla cake with a homemade chocolate butter cream frosting.

Here’s how Martha’s cake looked. Something to aspire to.

I made 2 9 X13s pans of cake and used the molds as cake cutters to cut out my stars.

 

I had enough cake leftover to fill a whole 9X13. I decided to turn that into a pudding cake. Yes, my ambition was really starting to wane at this point.

 

Here’s how mine turned out! The cake carrier that I was using only allowed for a 3 tiered cake. Definitely not as pretty as Martha's but it sure tastes good. I don’t own a frosting piper thing, nor did I want to try and make one. Like I said ambition was going quick. I was hoping to frost the outside too but the cake was very fragile and would’ve turned to a crumbly mess.

 

My 4th tier. I’m bringing it to work too. Maybe I’ll try to assemble it all there. Or I’ll just let people eat different parts…

Anyone have ideas on how to cut this thing? I think I’ll let the birthday girl tackle that part!

Construction strikes again

I've been temporarily displaced from my cube...again. Although this time I should get to move back. They are painting some parts in the new addition and the smell was too much for me to handle. And more than I wanted Baby Girl exposed to. My boss, being the concerned father-like-figure, suggested they move my computer to one of the empty cubes upstairs until they are done painting. Sounded good to me. Now I am sitting right outside the CEO's office. Time to be on my best professional behavior!! Hopefully they don't mind my constant eating and peeing. :)

I do miss my coworkers though. It's really quiet and a little lonely. I feel out of the action. Someone come and visit me!

The Queen and Her Throne

Came home from work today and found this:



Not sure how she got the blanket off the back of the chair, but she sure made a nice nest out of it! I restuffed the cushion over the weekend. Zoey must approve.

Tick Tock

For anyone who has seen the movie Return to Oz (one of my favs as a kid) do you remember this character?



His name was Tick Tock and in order for him to walk he kinda waddled back and forth shifting from foot to foot. That's exactly how I feel every time I get up and walk somewhere - especially with a full bladder! I hear his voice every time too...

Nieces

Justin went down to Cambria last weekend for his Grandpa's Memorial. In addition to that he also got to stay with his sister and meet Sammy! Unfortunately I was not able to go so I had to see her through pictures. I can't decide who she looks like yet, but definitely different that Izzy looked as a baby. He also declared that babies are boring and don't do anything. Let's hope he feels a little differently about ours. Or maybe he'll be too sleep deprived to really notice!

Izzy posing.


Sammy crying for the camera.






I should also add that she's about 3.5 weeks in these pictures. Doesn't she look so much older!

Decorations Done!

We finished the decorations in Baby Girl's room!! Still a few more thing to buy and a stool to recover but we're almost there. As you can see we have also finalized on the name. :)

Sandy Lake

We had our annual trip up to Sandy Lake this past weekend with the Eids. I don't think in all of our years of going up there have we had weather that's been so perfect. Even in my pregnant state we were able to take the 8 person raft out in the water and enjoy some sun time. (which there will be no pics of because we had a strict no swimsuit pic policy. hehe) I used this as my one chance of the summer to get a little color and am still fighting with a tiny bit of sun burn. Most of it was "golden brown by tomorrow."

Cran took the majority of the pics and did a great job of blogging it. Here's the few that I have.



Great relaxing weekend. I think next year Justin and I might appreciate the getaway a little bit more!

Already spoiling

Justin and I have been really good about not buying unnecessary things for Baby Girl. It's hard not to get suckered into all the cute baby things out there! We've stuck with all the basics and I figured I'd get a lot of the cutesy stuff at showers. Which I did too! However last week on the same day we both came home and said we bought something online for her. We must've been on the same page. Can you guess who bought which?





I've been eying that hat for months now and thought it was time to splurge. It'll be perfect for pictures. I'm sure she'll hate every minute she has to wear it. :) Justin is already trying to make her into a Jets fan. I asked where her Vikings shirt was but didn't get a very nice response. That might have to be my next purchase!

34 Weeks

Belly bump update! I can’t say I’m overly excited about putting belly pics up as I am getting so big, but I know I like seeing other peoples so here you all go.

Baby facts for week 34:
Weights: 4 3/4 lbs (compared to a Cantaloupe)
18 inches long
Starting to get more baby fat and smoother skin
She moves all the time and loves kicking under my ribs. If you see me pressing on my right side, I’m trying to keep her from doing that.

2 more weeks and we’re in the safe zone! Hard to think she could actually come then, but I’m ready. I’m sure it’ll still be another 6 or 7  until we actually see her…

Progress

The basement is coming along! Good thing since our Aug deadline is almost here. :) It won’t all be done by then, but at least the bedroom and bathroom will be. Justin had a very productive long weekend and finished the bathroom. Woo hooo!!

 

Few minor details like the door is missing, but that will come soon. He also put the trim on the stairs. Now we need some carpet! Hopefully in a couple weeks that will be installed.

Practicing Patience

I've been itching for a new phone for awhile now. My goal was to hold out until Aug/Sept but then I started thinking that maybe I should get the new phone now while I still have plenty of free time to learn how to use it - yes I can rationalize anything. And so it was decided. HTC Evo here I come!! Of course they aren't in stock but as of tomorrow my name will be on the waiting list. Hopefully I can get it within a couple weeks. SOOOOOOOO excited!



Here's the features per the website if anyone cares:
Highlights
Wicked fast - access to 4G speeds in select cites and a 1 GHz Snapdragon™ processor
Web surfing made easy - 4.3 inch screen, Android™ 2.1 and HTC Sense™ experience

Key Features
Access to 4G speeds that are up to 10x faster than 3G
Dual-mode 3G/4G device, access to dependable 3G speeds and accelerated 4G speeds where available
4.3-inch screen
Two cameras, including 8.0 megapixel
1 GHz Snapdragon™ processor
Mobile Hotspot capable
3G speeds where available
Android™ 2.1
Touchscreen
Music capable
Sprint TV®
GPS Navigation enabled
Web browsing capable
Email capable
Bluetooth® Wireless
Memory card slot
Voice activated dialing
Supports multiple simultaneous users

The world will be at my finger tips. I can't wait to start downloading aps!